Busted
by Ms Isabella
Summary: Wednesday date night in Frank's office leads to others discovering their secret. Will they officially come out as a couple or try to squash the information and continue to date quietly? Chapter 5 up now. Please feel free to read and reveiw. Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

Busted

Chapter 1

"Hello," Frank said as he raised his cell phone to his ear.

"Hello yourself," came the familiar voice on the other end of the line. "Is the coast clear?"

He smiled. "Do I look like the Coast Guard?" he teased. He smiled as he heard her laugh.

"I've got some piping hot lasagna and other assorted goodies if no one else is around."

"If you're asking if Garrett and Baker are gone, the answer is yes. Come on up."

"See you in a few."

He met her at the door and gave her a quick cheek kiss. "It smells wonderful."

"Just the usual Wednesday night dinner," Adriana reminded as she pulled out a tablecloth and placed it on the small table in the back of his office. She set the table and lit a candle. "Can you open the wine?"

"You always think of everything," he said as he took a look at the wine label. "2005. It was a very good year."

"Yes it was," she agreed. "The year I got rid of my migraine."

Frank's eyebrows shot up. He looked at her questioningly.

"Divorce was final," she explained.

He nodded. "We never talk about that."

"Nothing to talk about. He cheated. I left."

"That's usually not what the Italian culture does."

"No, but I wasn't going to let anyone make a fool out of me."

"I did embarrass the parents. They seem to have gotten over it. At least they still take me out in public."

Frank smiled. "They adore you. And your father always makes me feel like I'm back in high school."

She giggled. "He is just very protective of his daughter. It's what fathers do."

"Yes, we do," he agreed.

"You have to understand my father. Mom and I are what he considers his women. No one is allowed to hurt us in any way. He takes it personally if that happens."

"And if someone does, they face the wrath of Gabriel D'Angelo."

"Pretty much," she agreed as she took a sip of wine.

Before she could set her glass down, the office door opened.

"Hey, Frank, did you see -"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Adriana froze when she heard the voice. Of all the times, why did someone have to barge in now? 'What's going to happen now?' she wondered. She knew Garrett had a link to the press. Not that she minded letting people know she was dating, but she knew Frank liked to keep his private life private. They had agreed on dating quietly just for that reason.

"Did I see what, Garrett?" Frank asked impatiently.

Garrett took in the scene in front of him. He expected to see a lot of things in Frank's office, but not an intimate dinner with Judge Adriana D'Angelo. He knew of her reputation to be a fair judge, but somehow, when he thought of women that Frank might date, she was not one of them. She seemed too young for him for one thing. For another, she came from a ton of money. Granted, her parents worked for it and earned it, but the picture just didn't quite fit the frame.

"Um, my phone. I forgot my phone," he said quickly as he made his way over to Frank's desk. He located it and turned around quickly. "Got it. Thanks."

"Garrett?"

"Yes, Frank?"

"We will talk about this tomorrow. Until then, not one word. To Anyone."

He nodded. "Have a good night."

As soon as the door closed, Adriana was on her feet.

"Where are you going?" Frank asked.

"Locking the door so we don't get interrupted again." She locked the door and returned to her seat. She picked up her fork, and started pushing her lasagna around on her plate.

"You going to eat that or play with it?" he asked as he watched her cut another piece and push it around.

"I'm going to play with it."

"Which means you're thinking."

"You know me too well."

"Two years will do that to people. And you're thinking about what I'm going to say to Garrett."

She looked up at him. She noticed it was a statement and not a question. "Among other things."

"He did make things a bit uncomfortable."

"That he did." She picked at her salad. "So what are we going to do?"

"I'll think of something."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Frank helped himself to Henry's bottle of scotch. He poured three fingers and downed it in one swallow.

"Must have been a bad date night," Henry observed.

"Could have been better," Frank agreed.

"And how is Adriana?"

"She's fine. She was beautiful as always."

"You two didn't break up again, did you?"

Frank poured another three fingers. "No, we didn't break up. We just have some decisions to make."

"I'm sure whatever it will be it will be the right one."

Frank stood up. "Thanks, Pop. You always give great advice."

In his room, Frank pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. 

"Hello," she said.

"Hello. You made it home safely."

"I did. I just crawled in bed."

"What's on Turner Classic?"

She smiled. "You really _do_ know me too well. And it's _Imitation of Life_."

"Sad movie."

"It is. But it's a good one. Are you home?"

"I am. Just called to say goodnight."

"Goodnight. Sleep well. Wish you were here."

"I do too," he agreed. "Especially if you're wearing that red thing."

"Not tonight. Tonight it's flannel."

He chuckled. "I can't imagine you in flannel. You're too sexy."

"I'm also cold. It's winter."

"And you're sleeping alone."

She sighed. "I am. My amour went home for the evening."

"There's always tomorrow night, Aid."

She perked up. "Promise?"

"I promise. Sleep well."

"You too, Frank. I'll catch up with you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Aid."

"Goodnight, Frank."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Morning Briefing

Frank listened to Baker's report, and thanked her. She closed his office door and returned to her desk. He took a sip of coffee and sat down at his desk and braced himself for Garrett's upcoming onslaught.

Garrett made his way up to Frank's office. He had spent a restless night trying to plan his options for protecting this new wrinkle in Frank's personal life. He shook his head again. He still could not believe that Frank was dating, and by the looks of the dinner he had seen, it was something very serious.

"Good morning, Abigail," he greeted as he waltzed past Baker's desk and into Frank's office.

"Frank, we need to-" Garrett started.

"Good morning to you too, Garrett. Please have a seat."

Frank sipped his coffee while Garrett sat in the chair opposite his desk. "You want to know about last night."

"It would have been nice to know you were dating. We could have covered you. Your detail should be told."

"My detail already knows and they have been sworn to secrecy."

"Anyone else besides me in the dark about this?"

"Baker doesn't know, although she suspects."

"And you were going to tell me when, Frank? When I got a wedding invitation?"

"We're not getting married! Jeez! Why does everyone want us to get married?"

"So it's been going on for a while?"

"Yes, it has. And I didn't tell you because even I am entitled to a private life, just as Adriana is."

"You are, but sooner or later, it's going to come out."

"And we will deal with it when it does. But until then, not one word to anyone."

"Frank-"

"Work with me here, Garrett. Aid doesn't want her picture plastered all over the front page of the News, and neither do I. We want our private life to be just that- private."

"All right," he conceded. "But when it all blows up in your faces, I'm the one that's going to have to put out that very big fire."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Henry looked up from the stove when he heard the back door open. "Well, good afternoon, Beautiful," he greeted Adriana as he pulled the pot off of the burner and walked over to greet her.

"Ah, Henry, I'll bet you say that to every woman that walks through your back door."

"Not every woman. Just the beautiful ones—you, Erin, Nikki, and Linda."

"Charmer," she said as she returned his hug and cheek kiss. "I brought you some salad and coconut cream pie."

"Aid, you know you don't have to bring anything to Sunday dinner but yourself."

"I know, Henry. But I like to."

"Because your parents told you it was bad manners to go somewhere and not take something," he pointed out.

"Absolutely."

"Well, when you come here, you don't have to. "

"I thought I heard voices," Frank said as he entered the kitchen. He smiled when he saw Adriana. "Hello," he greeted as he walked over to give her a hug and kiss. "Came straight from Church, didn't you?"

"I did. I skipped out on brunch at the Plaza."

"Well, I'm honored. I thought for sure you'd at least stop for a cup of coffee."

"I was in a hurry to see you," she whispered in his ear.

"Alright you two lovebirds, can you knock it off long enough to set the table?" Henry asked.

"Of course, Henry," Adriana said as she picked up the plates that were sitting on the counter.

Frank opened the silverware drawer and counted out settings. "Always have to set the table," he grumbled teasingly.

"Yeah, me too," Adriana said as she started for the living room. "Papa always said it was the price you had to pay for the privilege of eating."

"Wish I would have thought of that," Henry said as he turned his attention back to the pot on the stove.

Frank and Adriana worked together to set the table. Adriana stepped back to give everything the once over. Frank came up behind her and started rubbing her shoulders. "It looks fine to me," he observed.

"Looks fine to me too," she agreed. "How long before everyone else arrives?"

"About long enough to curl up with the paper and a glass of wine," he said. "Would you like to?"

"I would indeed," she agreed. "I brought my own puzzle. It's in my purse."

"Meet you in the study."

Adriana made her way back to the kitchen, and fished in her purse for the Times puzzle she had cut out of her paper earlier that morning.

"You know you can work mine," Henry said from the stove.

"No, that's rude, Henry. I brought my own."

Henry turned. "You know, Aid, sometimes I think your parents raised you too well. Your manners are just too good."

She smiled. "I'll be sure to tell them that. But, I'm a guest here, and guests do not impose on their hosts."

"You're not a guest. You're family. And I wish my thickheaded son would get that through his head and officially make you family."

"Keep praying," she said. "Maybe someday he will."

"I don't know what he's waiting for."

"For the time to be right."

"Hell, Aid, the time might never be right. If I waited for the time to be right for Betty to marry me, we never would have had 42 years. You just have to jump in."

"I'm ready when he's ready," she said. "When he's ready, he will ask."

"I wish I had your patience."

"It's fine, Henry. It's all good just the way it is."

Henry turned back to the pot and pulled it off of the burner again. "I just hope you two do this before I die."

"I heard that, Pop!" Frank yelled from the study.

"I'd better get back to him," Adriana said before making a quick dash to the study.

She adored Henry, but when he started hinting about her and Frank getting married, she felt uncomfortable. No matter what the two of them told Henry, he wasn't having it. He seemed to be the one man's agenda to get them to walk down the aisle.

Adriana sat down on the couch next to Frank. "Well, it took him all of twenty minutes this week," Frank observed. "He's getting better."

"I think he's worried about what will happen to you if—well, you know," she finished. She didn't have the heart to finish with _if he dies_.

"You and I both know I will be fine." He handed her a glass of red wine.

"He just wants you to be happy, Frank."

"I am happy. Are you happy?"

"I'm happy." She unfolded the puzzle and picked up her pen.

"Just ignore his comments."

"Ignored."

Twenty minutes later, the back door opened. "And the troops have arrived," Frank said as he stood up. He held out his hand to her. "Do you want to go and say hello?"


End file.
